Power saving control in receiving operations is conducted in the following manner. In a case where a plurality of programs are transmitted in a time division manner in digital broadcasting, power to a demodulation unit and the like is supplied only during a period when a desired program is being transmitted, and stopped during a period when the desired program is not being transmitted, to reduce power consumption. With the widespread use of mobile receiving devices in recent years, increasing attention has been given to this technique.
In a broadcast signal in which a plurality of programs are time division multiplexed, a period when a desired program is being transmitted is called a “burst”.
For example, patent document 1 discloses a known technique of intermittently supplying power according to arrival of such a burst.
According to the technique described in patent document 1, time interval information showing a relative time interval to a next burst is included in each burst, so that a receiving device can be informed of when the next burst arrives based on this time interval information. Since the receiving device is informed of when the next burst arrives, the receiving device can stop the power supply until the arrival of the next burst.
Thus, according to this technique, power is stopped while bursts are not being received. Therefore, in a case where reception is performed by a mobile device, the power consumption can be reduced and as a result a longer battery life can be attained.
Patent document 1: U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0153369